If sports misery loves company, there was a lot of Seattle commiseration going on Sunday. For some unknown reason, the NHL Kraken, NFL Seahawks, and MLS Sounders all were in action at the same time.
- 4:51 pm: The horn sounds at TD Garden in Boston, as the Bruins shut out the Kraken 2-0. It’s the second consecutive shutout loss for Seattle.
- 5:01 pm: Quarterback Matt Stafford of the L.A. Rams throws a 39-yard touchdown pass to Demarcus Robinson in overtime to beat the Seahawks 26-20 at Lumen Field.
- 5:56 pm: Angst for the Sounders at Shell Energy Stadium in Houston. The Dynamo tie the game during stoppage time in the 93rd minute – on an own goal – despite playing a man short. More angst: the penalty shootout needs two extra rounds before Seattle wins 7-6, and the MLS playoff game, 2-1.
Feast, Then Famine
Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images
Anatomy of an anemic three-game losing streak: one goal in a 4-1 loss to the Maple Leafs Oct. 31. Shut out by the Senators 3-0 on Saturday. Shut out by the Bruins 2-0 on Sunday. That’s one measly Eeli Tolvanen score in the last nine periods, the last 180 minutes of hockey.
The Kraken five-game road swing had gotten off to an offensive juggernaut of a start in Montreal Oct. 29, swamping the Canadiens 8-2.
Then the “jugger” abandoned the trip, leaving only an offensive “naught.” (Math humor.)
A power play good for three goals against the Habs has gone scoreless in 10 chances since. Between the 1st in Toronto and 3rd in Boston, Seattle failed to reach double digit shots in any period. They had just 10 SOG through 40 minutes against the Bruins, while surrendering 30.
Coach Dan Bylsma, asked before Sunday’s game in Boston if the team was feeling a sense of urgency: “They better be.” After their second consecutive shutout loss: “Disappointed how we started this game, both our mindset and execution. Falling off the horse in Ottawa, this was our chance to say, ‘This isn’t how it’s going to be.'”
What gives? “We were sloppy with the puck,” said Tolvanen after the Toronto loss. “Lack of execution, lack of battle level,” Jordan Eberle said after the Ottawa loss. “We were having trouble making passes that were tape-to-tape,” Yanni Gourde said after the Boston loss. “I thought our breakout execution wasn’t great. Our support wasn’t great.”
The remedy? “Play physical, play fast,” Tolvanen suggested in Toronto. “Simplify, shooting, and getting pucks around the net,” Eberle recommended in Ottawa. “The transition has to be a strength of ours,” Gourde concluded in Boston. “Try to win races, win battles. Eventually, we’re going to get our chances. The puck going in the net is going to come, if you play the right way, within your structure.”
Translation: the team isn’t exactly sure how to escape this arid scoring drought. They’ll hope Colorado will provide an oasis when they meet the Avalanche on Tuesday to conclude the road trip.
TV Analyst Ferraro Provides Ray Of Sunshine For Kraken
Jamie Sabau-USA TODAY Sports
“When you’re an expansion team, you don’t have any depth. You have the NHL team and no other players,” ESPN hockey analyst Ray Ferraro said in a recent KIRO-AM interview. “No young guys, no draft picks that are ready to push for jobs.
“Now you’re starting to see some of their younger players. People look at Matty Beniers like he’s this established player – he’s 20 years old! It’s impossible to be a dominant player at that age. The young guys, you can’t just ‘invent’ them. It’s not like football, where the guys they draft are 22 years old and they need those guys to get in the starting lineup right away.
“Seattle is in a good place. They’re a good team. I’ve known Dan Bylsma a long time. If they play a fast game, which I know they will, because that’s Dan’s way, they’ll be a team fighting for a playoff spot.
“I’ve seen Brandon Montour play from five feet away a lot. He’s a great skater, terrific with the puck. The confidence and the swagger he plays with you’ll see if you watch him a lot. He’s a really good player.” Chandler Stephenson: “Underrated but highly skilled. You’ve got these two kids occupying, next to goaltender, as important a position as you can have. Adding his experience is a huge win.”